In the 37th session of Chandoo.org podcast, Let’s debug ’em #VALUEs & #N/As.
What is in this session?
In this podcast,
- Introduction to Excel formula errors
- The easy kind: syntax errors
- The triky ones: # ERRORs
- Fixing errors – using IFERROR & ISERROR
- Error checking & debug options
- Using Errors deliberately – charts & data validation
- A challenge for you – produce #NULL error
- Conclusions
Listen to this session
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Links & Resources mentioned in this podcast
Understanding & Fixing Excel Errors:
- Various Excel formula errors – what do they mean and how to fix them?
- What to do when your Excel formula is not working
- Using F9 key to debug formulas
Error handing in Excel
- IFERROR formula – what is it, how to use it?
- Excel formula auditing features – how to use them?
- Hiding errors in print outs
Using Errors deliberately
Related Podcasts:
- CP026: Excel operators – an introductions & overview
- CP008: How to maintain workbooks created by others
Transcript of this session:
Download this podcast transcript [PDF]
How do you tackle errors?
My favorite techniques for error handling are – IFERROR & F9 key.
What about you? What kind of errors do you face frequently. How do you handle them? What do you do to ensure fewer errors in your reports and dashboards? Please share your tips in the comments area.
Also, tell me which formulas you will write to produce #NULL error in Excel.
4 Responses to “CP037: Error error on the wall, How do I fix you all? – Understanding & Fixing Excel Errors”
Same as you, my favorite for handling (actually hiding) errors is IFERROR, or IF(ISERROR) before Excel 2010
http://wmfexcel.com/2014/04/06/how-to-get-rid-of-the-error-message/
Frankly, I have never encountered #NULL before, as I have never written a formula for intersection and I doubt how many regular users would do it in workplace.
But as you requested, here's one formula that returns #NULL
=sum(A1:B2 C3:D4)
Great podcast and Excel error resource post Chandoo! I will share this.
I created a video last year about using ERROR.TYPE function to distinguish between error types.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cek4k4lkL_I
Cheers,
Kevin
#NULL is easy to recreate. Simply write any formula that requires addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division and leave out the operator.
A1 = 1
A2 = 1
=A1+A2 = 2
=A1 A2 = #NULL
Off to the races.
-The Stig
Great podcast! this is very helpful specially for beginner like me. Thank you for sharing!